Sheila Davidson & Bridge Project

Bridge Project was a Sunderland-based charity that, for over two decades, provided vital training, education, and wellbeing support to women in the North East of England. Originally established in 1985 by a small group of local women in Washington, the project was born out of a grassroots effort to create accessible education and training opportunities for women—particularly those facing social and economic barriers. With support from community workers, the founders successfully secured funding from the European Social Fund and laid the foundation for a pioneering initiative that incorporated quality childcare to enable women to gain qualifications.

Over time, Bridge grew into a multi-centre organisation with three locations in Sunderland and one in Durham. At its height, it employed 58 permanent staff and 52 sessional workers, becoming a lifeline for many women in the region. Its work was supported by a range of funders including the Big Lottery Fund, Sunderland City Council, and Durham County Council. In 2011, the charity reported an income of £1.1 million—closely matched by its expenditure.

Among Bridge’s key initiatives was the Connect course, launched in 1999. This programme focused on re-engaging young mothers and pregnant women aged 16–18 with training and education, enabling them to gain recognised qualifications through the City and Guilds Profile of Achievement. The charity also offered educational programmes covering construction skills and ancient civilizations, promoting both practical capabilities and cultural knowledge.

Bridge took a holistic approach to women’s empowerment, recognising that wellbeing and literacy were integral to education and personal development. Its health and wellbeing programmes included “Well Women” sessions, “Chat n’ Craft” groups, and broader health education. The centre also provided on-site crèche facilities, which significantly increased accessibility for mothers. The "Beautiful Books" initiative further supported literacy by giving women direct access to literature in a supportive, nurturing setting.

In addition, the Creative Expression group offered social support and mental health resources to women experiencing low-level mental health difficulties. Delivered in social service day care centres and across Bridge’s own locations, the programme later expanded to reach women from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities, using creative methods to develop emotional resilience and coping mechanisms.

Sheila Davidson, the charity’s long-serving Chief Executive, was awarded an MBE in recognition of her work supporting women in Tyne & Wear. When the charity closed she noted that, like many other voluntary sector organisations, Bridge had long struggled with funding challenges and cash-flow issues but had managed to "ride the storm" for many years. However, by 2012, the cumulative impact of austerity measures, shifting government priorities, and reductions in central funding for education ultimately proved too much.

That year, the board of Bridge made the difficult decision to place the charity into administration due to ongoing financial difficulties. Gillian Sayburn, insolvency director at Begbies Traynor—the firm appointed as administrator—called the closure "very sad," highlighting that Bridge had played a crucial role in connecting local women, regardless of age, ethnicity, disability, or financial status, to training and support they may not have otherwise accessed. There remained some hope that elements of the organisation could be saved through stakeholder negotiations, but the closure marked the end of an era.

Though the Bridge Project closed its doors in 2012, its legacy lived on in the thousands of women it supported, educated, and empowered over nearly three decades. It stood as a testament to what can be achieved when local women come together to create change, and its impact continues to resonate in the North East and beyond.